How to Prepare Your Minnesota Home for Freezing Temps, Snow, and Ice
Winter in Minnesota isn’t just cold—it’s intense. Freezing temperatures, heavy snow, ice storms, and wind chills can put serious stress on your home’s structure and systems. That’s why smart homeowners take a proactive approach to winter maintenance, ensuring everything is in top condition before the cold weather hits full force.
If you want to keep your home warm, energy efficient, and protected from the elements, here’s the ultimate winter home maintenance checklist—plus how Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning can help keep your family safe and comfortable all season long.
1. Inspect and Seal Gaps to Stop Heat Loss
Air leaks around your home’s perimeter allow cold air to seep in and heated air to escape. This means your furnace works harder and your energy bills go up.
✔ Inspect windows and doors for drafts. On a windy day, you can use a lit incense stick or candle to detect movement near seams.
✔ Apply caulk around window frames, and install weatherstripping on door frames to seal gaps.
✔ Don’t forget to check for leaks around baseboards, attic access doors, and electrical outlets.
Pro Tip: Use thermal curtains to reduce heat loss through older windows.
2. Protect Your Plumbing System
Frozen pipes are one of the most common and costly winter plumbing problems. When water inside your pipes freezes, it expands—and that pressure can cause pipes to burst.
✔ Insulate exposed pipes in unheated areas like basements, crawl spaces, attics, and garages.
✔ Drain and shut off outdoor faucets and sprinkler systems.
✔ Let a small trickle of water run on especially cold nights to prevent freezing in vulnerable areas.
✔ Make sure you know the location of your main water shut-off valve in case of an emergency.
3. Clean Out Gutters and Downspouts
When gutters are full of leaves and debris, melting snow and ice have nowhere to go. This can lead to ice dams, water backing up under your roof shingles, and even interior water damage.
✔ Remove leaves, pine needles, and other blockages from your gutters and downspouts.
✔ Confirm that downspouts are directing water at least 4–6 feet away from your home’s foundation.
✔ Check for any signs of sagging gutters or leaks that could get worse with snow weight.
4. Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
As your home gets sealed up for winter and heating systems run almost constantly, the risk of fire or carbon monoxide (CO) exposure increases.
✔ Test all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home.
✔ Replace batteries and check the expiration date on the units themselves—many detectors need replacement every 7–10 years.
✔ Install detectors on every floor and near sleeping areas for maximum protection.
5. Schedule a Furnace Tune-Up
Your furnace is the heart of your home’s winter comfort—and the last thing you want is for it to fail during a Minnesota cold snap.
✔ A professional furnace tune-up ensures your system is running safely, efficiently, and reliably.
✔ Technicians will clean and inspect key components, replace air filters, test carbon monoxide output, and identify any signs of wear before they become expensive repairs.
✔ Don’t forget to check your thermostat settings and consider upgrading to a smart thermostat for better temperature control and energy savings.
Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning offers full-service furnace inspections and maintenance packages that are tailored for Minnesota’s toughest weather.
Bonus Tips for Winterizing Your Home
Reverse ceiling fans to circulate warm air downward in living spaces.
Place draft stoppers at the base of doors leading to garages or outdoors.
Stock up on essentials: Keep salt, snow shovels, and emergency supplies accessible before storms arrive.
Inspect your attic insulation to make sure heat isn’t escaping through your roof, which can cause snowmelt and ice dams.
Stay Safe and Warm with Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning
Minnesota winters can be brutal—but with the right winter home maintenance strategy, you can keep your home cozy, efficient, and safe. Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning has been serving local homeowners for over 50 years, providing dependable, high-quality heating services you can count on when it matters most.
We offer:
Professional furnace inspections and tune-ups
Emergency heating repairs
Smart thermostat installation
Air quality solutions to keep indoor air clean and fresh during winter months
📞 Call Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning today at 763.536.0667 or visit MarshHeating.com to schedule your winter HVAC tune-up and stay ahead of the freeze.
Don’t wait until the first big snowstorm. Winterize your home now—because comfort and safety shouldn’t be seasonal.